Shaquille O'Neal Wants Kobe to Tell Him How His Ass Tastes

Phoenix Sun center Shaquille O'Neal took the stage at a NYC nightclub Sunday night to perform a freestyle rap targeting Kobe Bryant after Kobe lost the NBA championship. In the rap, Shaq taunts Kobe for not being able to win an NBA championship without him, blames Kobe for his divorce, and tells Kobe to "tell [him] how his ass tastes." Classy.

Said Shaq of the rap: "I was freestyling. That's all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever. That is what MC's do. They freestyle when called upon. I'm totally cool with Kobe. No issue at all. And by the way, don't forget, six albums, two platinum, two gold. Anybody who knows me knows I'm a funny freestyler. Check the NBA DVD when I was rapping about Vlade Divac during my first championship run. Please tell everybody don't make something out of nothing."

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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ESPN columnist Shoved, Taunted with Gay Slurs at NBA Weekend

LZ Granderson, a columnist for ESPN.com, says he was confronted by a group of men in New Orleans last week during NBA All-Star Weekend who taunted him with anti-gay slurs. Granderson says he fears that it would have escalated had a couple of policemen been nearby.

Writes Granderson: "When the first one pushed me in the back, I remember thinking I was going to die. After a second shove, I had no thoughts at all -- only fear. This is how I spent a portion of my Saturday night during NBA All-Star Weekend -- being gay bashed because the size large T-shirt I was wearing wasn't large enough for someone else's comfort. As I walked by the group of men -- on my way to the Playboy party, no less -- one of them called me a faggot. Then another joined in. They followed me for a while, continuing to hurl names at me. I tried to ignore it but eventually the "Detroit" came out of me and I turned around and said some things I probably shouldn't have. Next thing I know I'm surrounded and wondering if I'm going to see the dawn and if not for a pair of New Orleans policemen who saw trouble brewing and yelled at the group to break it up, I might not have."

Granderson also discusses the Brady Quinn incident and urges professional sports to take more action toward homophobia among its players.

Harrowing incident a troubling reminder of homophobia [espn]
(via outsports photo source)

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Kentuckians Outraged Over Basketball 'Kiss' Photo

A photo the Louisville Courier-Journal published following a match-up between the U of Louisville Cardinals and the U of Kentucky Wildcats caused such a fuss that a columnist yesterday was forced to publish an explanation. Some readers demanded apologies over the photo of Cardinals players Juan Palacios, left, and Jerry Smith, which some saw as a kiss. The negative reaction, the paper says, was "unprecedented."

Columnist Pam Platt writes: "Some of the comments registered by angry, offended and/or baffled readers: 'Awful,' 'an embarrassment,' 'horrible decision,' 'poor judgment,' 'distasteful,' 'a mystery' and 'shame on you.' I have to admit I was a little baffled by the response. Aren't sports the province of the ubiquitous fanny pat? Aren't players in each other's faces all the time during athletic matches? Yes and yes. So what's a little game-time hug in that universe?"

Here's the original story.

Platt explains: "Sam Upshaw Jr., who has been a photographer for 20 years, took the photo of Jerry Smith hugging Juan Palacios in the first half, after a big, emotional play that favored the Cards. In the original photo, there was more of a Kentucky player involved in the play in the frame; only his arm remains in the cropped picture that appeared in the paper...After looking at all the game photos submitted for publication and online posting, Bryan settled on the Palacios/Smith shot that was printed because the picture showed the game's top scorers and it showed them in a moment of celebration, with one congratulating the other...As for the theory floated by some readers, that this was a purposeful attempt to rile or humiliate Cards fans, it doesn't really deserve a response but [Sports editor Harry Bryan has one: We're not in the business of offending or agitating readers..."

Finally, Platt asks her readers, "What are you thinking? What is it about two athletes sharing a moment of physical and emotional closeness in the middle of a big game, in the middle of a basketball court, that puts some people off so much?"

Flurry over a photo prompts explanation [courier-journal]
(via gawker)

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Who Wore Short Shorts? Kobe Bryant and the Lakers

As an honor to hall-of-famer Jerry West, the Los Angeles Lakers wore vintage uniforms in the first half of their game against the Celtics on Sunday night. In question was what psychological effect the fashion switch may have had on the score, as the Lakers lost to the Celtics 110-91. Most Lakers appeared intent on covering the thighs with some longer spandex leggings.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said: "I don't know if it spurred anyone on, but I hope it gave everyone a history lesson in some ways. I thought it was a really classy move, and really cool to watch. I think it played in our favor, the atmosphere, because they had to get it from somewhere, and maybe those shorts helped us. I told Kobe, the one thing I know from this point on, our generation had better bodies than their generation, because they looked horrible in those shorts."

Kobe Bryant said he felt visually raped: "I don't know what it feels like to wear a thong, but I imagine it feels something like what we had on in the first half. I felt violated. I felt naked. It's one thing to see films with guys wearing those things. ... I'd rather stay warm, man."

Mark and Donnie Wahlberg appeared to enjoy themselves.

And shooting guard Sasha Vujačić appeared to have no problem with the costume change.

Boston 110, Lakers 91 [ap via yahoo]

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News: Martian Moons, Brad Pitt, Fire, Mitt-Flops, USS Kitty Hawk

Human Rights Campaign: did the gay rights group use underhanded tactics to skew polling over ENDA in order to show support for dropping transgender protections?

Brad Pitt says he'll no longer do nude scenes in films: "I don't want to be embarrassed when my kids get old enough to see my films. I can't see any more nude scenes [in my career.]"

Australian ACT civil partnerships likely to move forward under Labor Party: "The incoming attorney-general, Robert McClelland, says Labor is unlikely to block a proposal by the ACT to legally recognise same-sex couples - a plan that was repeatedly stymied by the Howard Government. The ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, is planning to reintroduce a civil partnerships bill, which will give legal recognition to unions between same-sex couples. The plan was blocked by the Howard Government last year and the outgoing Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, threatened to do so again in February."

LOGO announces reality show about gay basketball team San Francisco Rockdogs.

China's refusal to allow USS Kitty Hawk to dock in Hong Kong not a misunderstanding: "Liu said "erroneous" actions on the part of the U.S. had 'disturbed and harmed' relations. He pointed to Congress' awarding its highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama last month. Although the Tibetan spiritual leader is lauded in much of the world as a figure of moral authority, Beijing demonizes the monk and claims he seeks to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet. Also hurting relations were arms sales to Taiwan, an island which China regards as a renegade province, he said. A White House spokeswoman said she was surprised by the explanation."

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter provides new look at Martian moons: "Carbonaceous chondrites are primitive carbon-containing materials thought to originate in the outer part of the asteroid belt. This led to a commonly held view among planetary scientists that Mars' moons are primitive asteroids captured into Martian orbit early in the planet's history. More recent measurements have shown that the moons are in fact relatively red in their color, and resemble even more primitive D-type asteroids in the outer solar system."

Firefighters asked to report people who express discontent with the U.S. Government.

Arsonist continues to plague Provincetown — recent fire was 11th since October: "It's scary and sad that people are going around setting peoples' property on fire. It's ridiculous and wrong, if that is indeed what is going on."

David Beckham nuzzled in New Zealand.

Obama courting Michael Bloomberg as potential VP candidate? "An Obama aide said the meeting was scheduled because of 'mutual interest' and did not know whether the two had met before." Actually, they have: "Bloomberg, according to my spy, said he had met Obama for the first time about a year and a half ago, in the Senate subway, and was struck by Obama's eloquence. But 'he simply is not experienced enough to become president,' Bloomberg, I'm told, said. That's in part, at least, because 'senators have absolutely no idea what executive decision making is all about' — a familiar Bloomberg theme and one that would disqualify a number of candidates."

James Franco and Mila Kunis parody The Hills.

Log Cabin Republicans unleash Romney "Mitt Flops" ad: "The ad by the Log Cabin Republicans notes that Romney signed legislation in 2003 that increased taxes on New Hampshire residents who worked in Massachusetts. It also says Romney raised taxes on businesses, a point Romney disputes by saying he was merely closing tax loopholes...The radio ad represents the second effort by the Log Cabin Republicans to cast Romney as a flip-flopper. Last month, the group aired an ad in Iowa and on national cable that sought to undercut his support among social conservatives."

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Lakers Coach Phil Jackson Apologizes for Brokeback Remarks

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson said that a reprimand he received from the NBA regarding some post-game comments on Tuesday night was deserved.

The AP reports: "The Spurs made 13 3-pointers in their 107-92 victory on Tuesday night, and Jackson was asked if too much penetration was leading to open outside shooters."

Said Jackson: "We call this a 'Brokeback Mountain' game, because there's so much penetration and kickouts. It was one of those games."

The NBA fired off a quick response to Jackson's remarks. Said NBA spokesman Brian McIntyre: "The remarks are in poor taste, and the Lakers have assured us such remarks will not occur in the future."

GLAAD also issued an alert. Said President Neil Giuliano: "Phil Jackson’s been coaching long enough that he should be able to talk about the Lakers’ performance without resorting to cheap gay jokes."

Jackson thanked certain journalists, including some gay reporters, for understanding it was an innocent joke. But he did issue an apology and admitted he understood why some found it offensive.

Said the coach: "In retrospect, it wasn't really funny. When you take it out of context, it wasn't funny. It was a poor attempt at humor and I deserved to be reprimanded by the NBA. If I've offended any horses, Texans, cowboys or gays, I apologize."

Of the controversy, he said, "It's societal right now. Some people can do it. Some people can't. That's something that's appropriate for certain categories."

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Former Big Ten Basketball Player Zach Puchtel Discusses Sexuality

Former Minnesota Gophers basketball player Zach Puchtel (above, center) interrupted a fashion show last May and told an audience of 3,000 people that he was gay. A fairly big announcement which seems to have led to a much more complex analysis from the athlete himself. Yesterday, in an interview with the GopherHole website he says he's neither gay nor straight.

The GopherHole asks how his former girlfriend reacted to the news:

GH: How did she react when you told her? Was she surprised?
ZP: I had shared some feelings with her, but yeah, she was shocked. She was very understanding. For the record, I’m not gay, I am who I am.

GH: Does that mean that you are interested in dating men or women?
ZP: Women.

GH: I'm a little confused, how is that coming out if you still want to date women?
ZP: I had to find out exactly where I stood with my own sexuality, and so I did.

GH: So...you experimented and realized you did want to be with women?
ZP: I’m at a point that if I met someone and loved them, I wouldn't let their gender get in the way, and I don’t think anyone should.

...

GH: What sort of backlash have you experienced, if any?
ZP: Not much, most people have thanked me for speaking out once again. It feels as though I’m helping people by being myself, and I’ll do that anytime I can.

GH: What do you want people to learn from your coming out?
ZP: I guess the take home message would be that being yourself is ok, regardless of stereotypes and other people's opinions. I believe it was Socrates who said, "Know thyself."

Confused, or simply evolved and fluid with his sexuality? Whatever the case, I appreciate his message. Puchtel, who graduated last spring, hopes to go into the NFL.

He also has a blog, called The Search. In a recent entry, he writes: "I want to play football in the NFL. I believe that I was put on this earth to play football. This is my next goal, and I don't see anything that can stop me. Narcissism and ego aside, the one problem that may arise is the issue of being gay. I am not gay. I am not straight. I am who I am. I am sexually attracted to men and women, and I enjoy being with women in intimate relationships. I think human beings are beautiful, and I try not to differentiate due to sex, race or any other minute detail. We are all humans, we are more than 99.9% similar in every way, and we all share this life together."

Former Golden Gopher comes out [outsports]
“Go Big or Go Home” Zach Puchtel’s Philosophy on Life, Sports, and Coming Out [gopherhole]
The Search [blog]

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Tim Hardaway Turnaround: Becoming an LGBT Youth Advocate

In the months since Tim Hardaway reacted to John Amaechi's coming out by declaring "I hate gay people," comments that reverberated through the media and caused him to lose a place at the NBA's All Star Festivities, the former Heat player has been attending and working with the YES Institute, an advocacy center for LGBT youth.

According to the AP, "The group, founded in 1996, seeks to prevent teen suicides while boosting the self-esteem of children and keeping them free of violence and discrimination."

When he learned of the institute, Hardaway decided to check it out. Says the former pro: "I was scared out of my ... mind. I didn't know how they were going to act toward me. But you know what? They welcomed me with open arms. That eased a lot of my nervousness."

Hardaway says he wanted to take steps following the homophobic incident to change himself. He says he has not given interviews for many months because he did not want people to think his work with YES was a "publicity stunt or a quick fix to an image problem."

Says Hardaway: "I just wanted to go in and get educated, that's all. Get educated on what I said and why I said those things. I'm working on understanding it now. I'm not really trying to make amends. I've been there trying to get help. "I had no idea how much I hurt people. A lot of people."

Martha Fugate, the director of YES, has praised Hardaway in a press release: "Thanks to his honest albeit misguided reaction, Tim did find his way to YES Institute and the education he got was not just about others, but about himself. Because he is a role model, perhaps other people will also learn -- hopefully before bad consequences happen to them."

A contrite Tim Hardaway now embraced by some in gay community [ap via sports illustrated]

Background
Former NBA Star Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People" [tr]

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News: John Amaechi, Outgames, Billy Packer, Flash Mob

Sports announcer Billy Packer responds to questions about his comment to Charlie Rose that the sportscaster always "fags out" on him. Rose: "I said he fagged out on me, and it had nothing to do with sexual connotation. I got to know Charlie a number of years ago and have great admiration for his program and intellect. I can assure you I will use that phrase again and I won't think twice about it."

4,000 flash mob dancers take over Victoria train station in London: "A deafening 10-second countdown startled station staff and commuters before the concourse erupted in whoops and cheers. MP3 players and iPods emerged and the crowd danced wildly to their soundtracks in silence - for two hours."

Britney Spears is back out on the town, partying with steak juice.

Gay men receiving HPV vaccine intended for use against cervical cancer: "The prevalence of anal cancer among gay and bisexual men is very high. So that's why some people are looking at this as a possible preventive cure for anal cancer and HPV that causes anal cancer."

John Amaechi to lead West Hollywood gay pride parade as Grand Marshall.

John Mayer: breaking the waves.

Judy Shepard opens OutGames in Calgary, Canada.

Congressional page program thriving after Foley scandal: "Six months later, the Democrats have taken over Congress and a House Ethics Committee investigation concluded that Republican leaders did not break any rules in handling Foley's actions toward the pages. Not only does the House page program remain intact, it has received a record number of applications since the Foley scandal broke, according to the House's Office of the Clerk, which runs the program. A year earlier, the House page program couldn't even fill all of its available slots."

Bush appoints Sam Fox ambassador to Belgium while Congress in recess. Fox was behind the Swift Boat attack ads, and Bush's appointment may be illegal.

Keith Richards denies snorting his father's ashes with cocaine. Rep: "It was an off-the-cuff remark, a joke, and it is not true. File under April Fool's joke."

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CBA Coach Micheal Ray Richardson Let Go for "Faggot" Comment

Former NBA player Micheal "Sugar" Ray Richardson, the coach of the Albany Patroons (in the Contintental Basketball Association), has been let go following a wave of media attention after Richardson made what were seen as anti-Semitic comments to the Albany Times Union and called a fan a "faggot" during game one of the CBA Championship Series with the Yakima Sun Kings.

Richardson had commented to the Times Union that he had some "big time Jewish lawyers" working for him: "They got a lot of power in this world, you know what I mean? Which I think is great. I don't think there's nothing wrong with it. If you look in most professional sports, they're run by Jewish people. If you look at a lot of most successful corporations and stuff, more businesses, they're run by Jewish. It's not a knock, but they are some crafty people."

During the Sun King game, Richardson reportedly told a heckler, "Shut the f--- up, you faggot."

Richardson was suspended indefinitely last week following the remarks. Following his suspension, Richardson apologized: "I want to make an apology if I offended anyone. I am 100 percent sorry. I don't like being suspended, but what can I do about it?"

Yesterday, however, it was made clear that the team was declining to renew his contract. General Manager Jim Coyne said the decision to let Richardson go was ultimately based not on the comments that were seen as anti-Semitic, but the anti-gay comments Richardson had made to the fan.

Richardson responded: "I should not have cussed out the fan. I was caught up in the heat of the moment, the team didn't play well and spectators were screaming at me. I had had enough by then."

Yesterday, Richardson and his attorney spoke out in the coach's defense: "I used the words, 'He's a big-time Jewish lawyer.' And he is a big-time Jewish lawyer. He's real good in what he does. That's not a slur. It's like saying that 85 percent of the NBA is black, or 98 percent of hockey is white."

When asked about the anti-gay slur, Richardson's attorney John Aretakis spoke up: "Can I answer that? I want to answer that. Micheal Ray used that term and immediately apologized. He was in the heat of a game. The heat of competition."

Richardson and his attorney said they planned to sue the Times Union and the writer of the article for $5 million, claiming that the writer has a vendetta against Richardson and the team after having his car towed at a Patroons game, and also that the Times Union center (named for the newspaper), another venue, is in competition with the Armory venue, where the Patroons play.

Richardson loses control [times union]
Patroons, Richardson part [times union]
Former Patroons coach speaks out [capital news 9]

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Announcer Billy Packer Called on "Fag Out" Comment

In an interview with Charlie Rose on Friday, CBS college basketball announcer Billy Packer casually used the term "fag out" while joking about Rose being a runner for him in this year's Final Four basketball match-up. 'Good As You' has the video of Packer's comments.

"Do you need a runner this Final Four?" Rose asked, "because I could jump on a plane and I could be there." Said Packer: "You always fag out on that one for me, you know. You always say, oh yeah, I'm gonna be the runner, then you never show up. But I’m sure they can find a place for ya. You've got all the connections in the world. You can go ahead and be a runner anyplace you want to."

The term, as defined by Urban Dictionary means "To bail on something, 'pussy out'" while WordWebOnline defines it as "exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress."

Outsports asked CBS Sports Vice-president of Communications LeslieAnne Wade about the comments. Said Wade: "I know he wasn't meaning to be insensitive at all. While it is a term that is in the dictionary, it was still a poor choice of words. I'm confident that he would agree that it was a bad choice of words."

I'd agree. And while it appears to be a colloquialism left over from the days of the dinosaurs (John Amaechi said "I can honestly say I have never heard that phrase used that way. Not in my entire life."), perhaps Packer deserves to be bent over the knee of Tim Hardaway and spanked until Hardaway "fags out".

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Tim Hardaway Looks for a Second Chance

Tim Hardaway tells the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson that he'd rather "go straight to [a gay organization]" than attend "sensitivity training" for his remarks, and notes that the impact his anti-gay comments had on his business dealings ''hurt the most". He says he wants a second chance.

Said Hardaway: ''People have been trying to kick me when I'm down. [The reaction was] very, very shocking. People saying my wife left me -- that's not true. My family is OK and my finances are OK. I'm looking for a second chance and trying to clean up my image. I haven't been in trouble with drugs or guns. I'm an upstanding citizen. Like I told my children, life is not easy. This is a big bump I have to overcome. I'm going to deal with it like a champ. I've got to make sure people know I don't hate gay people.''

Hardaway also said that a meeting he had with NBA commissioner David Stern was "encouraging and very positive." He attended a Heat game last week and is attempting to get back in the good graces of head coach Pat Riley.

Riley says he has left the door open to that possibility: ''We are a country and city that forgives. I'm going to reach out to him, but he's got to admit if there's a problem, he's got to fix it..I think people who know Tim know he's a good person.''

Hardaway made headlines in February when he told a Miami radio host, "Well, you know, I hate gay people. I let it be known, I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people. Yeah, I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world, or in the United States. So, yeah, I don't like it."

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Tim Hardaway Out, John Amaechi In as Bald Guy Spokesmodel

Former NBA player John Amaechi, who recently announced that he's gay, continues to demonstrate restraint and good taste, even when noting that there's some amount of "karmic justice" in the fact that he has just signed to represent Headblade, a company specializing in products for bald men, while Tim Hardaway, employed for the very same position with rival company BaldGuyz, saw his sponsorship cut after responding to Amaechi's disclosure by saying "I hate gay people" to a South Florida radio show.

Said Amaechi: "I don’t feel any joy [at Hardaway's loss].

The ads featuring Amaechi will run in two basketball magazines, Hoop and Slam, and while HeadBlade is not a huge company, Amaechi's endorsement deal is being noted as a step forward in the acceptance of openly gay athletes by mainstream marketers.

What those marketers aren't looking for is controversy, notes the New York Times:

That aptly described what happened to Snickers, sold by the Masterfoods USA division of Mars, after it ran an ad during the Super Bowl. Gay activists complained about the spot, which showed two men who had accidentally kissed reacting by harming themselves. Masterfoods withdrew the commercial, created by the TBWA/Chiat/Day unit of Omnicom.

“The problem is that it was conditioning, modeling behavior,” Mr. Amaechi said, by showing that “real men” were supposed to feel conflicted and horrified when two men kiss.

Asked if he would accept an offer to endorse Snickers, Mr. Amaechi replied: “I could show you how to react to two men kissing. Smile broadly.”

Gay Athletes Slowly Enter the Endorsement Arena [nyt]

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube: #94

JOHN MCCAIN on LETTERMAN: "We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives, over there." McCain announced during the same broadcast that he is going to run for President. More on McCain's "wasted" comment here.

BRADY QUINN: As a follow-up to yesterday's very Brady post, here's some more from the NFL Combine.

PAT ON THE ASS: Texas Longhorn A.J. Abrams isn't too happy with the spanking he gets from teammate Damon Jones. (source: deadspin)

COLOR ME KUBRICK: Trailer for film opening on March 23rd. John Malkovich plays gay man Alan Conway, who once passed himself off as Stanley Kubrick for several months.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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Spin Control: Tim Hardaway Talks About his Hate Speech

Former NBA player Tim Hardaway, who shocked the sports world following John Amaechi's coming out by declaring "I hate gay people", has given his most extensive and revealing interview to date regarding the comments.

He tells longtime friend Scoop Jackson of ESPN:

"...it was just the wrong choice of words. It came out of my mouth real crude and real bad and real ugly. And people think that that's the way I feel. That I hate [gay people], and I don't. I don't condone what they do, but I don't hate them. But that's how it came out...I should have been smart about what I was saying and how I expressed my feelings because I offended a lot of folks. And not knowing the magnitude on how this all escalated. I mean, I offended my family, my friends, the NBA, the gay community, people I don't know, the [Miami] Heat organization. I realize that I offended a lot of people and caused a lot of friction on a touchy subject. And now it's my job to make it right."

Hardaway tells Jackson: "I still don't accept their lifestyle. No." and says that when he sees gay people on the streets of Miami "I just get away from it. I just walk away. I see it, I just go the other way, cross the street."

He adds: "When we was growing up Scoop, if we saw gay people or whatever, we ran across the street. We got away from them. Our parents, our friends, our families knew that that wasn't right. We didn't want to be around that and they definitely didn't want us kids around it. And it's not that they hated gay people, they just felt they it wasn't right. Let them do what they want to do. And that was my experience when I was growing up. Not acknowledging them. Now did something happen to me? No. But I did have a friend that something happened to him in a Catholic school, but that is another can of worms that it's not my place to open because it's not my life. But to answer your question, 'No.' Nothing happened to me. I just don't condone [being gay]. When I see gay people holding hands or kissing in the streets, I just don't think that's right."

Hardaway says that the past couple weeks have been "pure hell" and he worries someone will physically harm him or his family.

What he doesn't seem to realize, however, is that his fears are felt by gay people all the time as a consequence of hate speech which condones intolerance and facilitates violence.

The one bright spot in the interview is that the incident seems to have opened Hardaway's eyes a little to the fact that there are gay people all around him:

"Maybe I could go to therapy, maybe someone can help me out with understanding [them], the sensitivity of the issue. But as a person, my beliefs are my beliefs. I don't have to condone it and I don't have to be around it. But I don't have to hate it either...Right now, learning. Learning that gay people are really no different than a lot of other people. Learning that they work hard, they do things in the community, they are responsible for building parks, rec centers, providing safe environments for kids, just things I had never associated with them before. [This last week] has opened up my eyes to the gay population and what they do. I'm getting a lot of knowledge about them that I didn't have. Which is going to make me a better person. And if it doesn't, then I'm a damn fool."

After reading his comments, it appears to me that Hardaway's homophobia is a classic case of the 'fear of the unknown'. Visibility is of the utmost importance in spreading tolerance. That is why it's important that news anchors come out, that celebrities come out, that politicians come out, that athletes come out. There should be many more John Amaechis.

The full interview is well worth a read.

You may have missed...
Tim Hardaway's Gay Spinout: North Miami Mayor, All-Stars React [tr]
Former NBA Player Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People" [tr]
Former NBA Player John Amaechi on Outside the Lines: I'm Gay [tr]
Amaechi: Hardaway Anti-Gay Comments "Illustrate the Problem" [tr]
Tim Hardaway's Gay Hate Speech Brings Swift Reaction [tr]

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In the NBA Locker Room with Michael Medved

Not to dwell on the recent Tim Hardaway story, but I hadn't posted this, and didn't want it to slide by.

Michael Medved: "Hardaway appropriately apologized for his harsh remarks, but many (if not most) Americans no doubt share his instinctive reluctance to share showers and locker rooms with open homosexuals. That reluctance also explains the controversial Defense Department policy that prevents out-of-the-closet gays from serving in the United States military."

Thus starts the conservative columnist's recent item on the Hardaway comments which perpetuates a set of twisted generalities truly astounding in their sexism and bigotry. Here's a bit more:

The much better analogy for discomfort at gay teammates involves the widespread (and generally accepted) idea that women and men shouldn’t share locker rooms. Making gay males unwelcome in the intimate circumstances of an NBA team makes just as much sense as making straight males unwelcome in the showers for a women’s team at the WNBA. Most female athletes would prefer not to shower together with men not because they hate males (though some of them no doubt do), but because they hope to avoid the tension, distraction and complication that prove inevitable when issues of sexual attraction (and even arousal) intrude into the arena of competitive sports.

Tim Hardaway (and most of his former NBA teammates) wouldn’t welcome openly gay players into the locker room any more than they’d welcome profoundly unattractive, morbidly obese women. I specify unattractive females because if a young lady is attractive (or, even better, downright “hot”) most guys, very much including the notorious love machines of the National Basketball Association, would probably welcome her joining their showers. The ill-favored, grossly overweight female is the right counterpart to a gay male because, like the homosexual, she causes discomfort due to the fact that attraction can only operate in one direction. She might well feel drawn to the straight guys with whom she’s grouped, while they feel downright repulsed at the very idea of sex with her.

There's more where that came from. Check out the rest of the column here.

OF course, Medved's generalities were disproved last week by the players themselves. But Medved seems to have really thought through those locker room scenes with intense concentration, right? Makes you wonder.

Where Tim Hardaway Was Right [town hall]

Related
Tim Hardaway's Gay Spinout: North Miami Mayor, All-Stars React [tr]
Tim Hardaway's Gay Hate Speech Brings Swift Reaction [tr]
Former NBA Star Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People"[tr]

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Tim Hardaway's Gay Spinout: North Miami Mayor, All-Stars React

In an attempt to help Tim Hardaway understand gay people, North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns has extended an invitation to the former NBA player. Burns has asked Hardaway to spend a day with him at his office and home, where he lives with his partner of 23 years, Rob Flint, and their daughter Autumn.

Said Burns: ''We're just trying to show him that there are living, breathing people that just happen to be gay. 'I don't expect [Hardaway] to be waving a peace flag anytime soon, even after this. But maybe he'll be less likely to say something bad about people if he knows them and understands a little more." Burns says Hardaway has accepted the offer, but no official announcement has been made, and Hardaway's spokesperson told the Miami Herald that an announcement would be premature.

Hardaway apologized again on Sunday for his comments, telling CBS affiliate WFOR, "I don't hate gay people. I'm a good-hearted person. I interact with people all the time. ... I respect people. For me to say 'hate' was a bad word, and I didn't mean to use it."

Despite the contrition, comments Hardaway made last week, that he "hates gay people" and would feel uncomfortable playing on a team with another gay player, are still reverberating through the sport.

During All-Star weekend media sessions in Las Vegas over the weekend, players, including some from Hardaway's former team, the Miami Heat, were asked about the incident.

Heat center Shaquille O'Neal (pictured joking around during All-Star practice with LeBron James) said he would stand up for a gay player: "I was always taught as a youngster to never judge people, so I never judge people and to each their own. If he was my teammate and people ridiculed him and jumped on him, I would probably have to protect him."

Heat guard Dwyane Wade did not refer to Hardaway specifically, but offered this: "Anybody who knows me knows I'm a guy who loves his teammates and if anything ever comes up like that, I don't look at that. I look at what guys can do for you on the court. And in the locker room you have great relationships with guys. I don't have any negative views."

Heat forward Jason Kapono (seen here after winning the trophy for the three-point competition Saturday night) said Hardaway's views put him in the minority: "Everyone has their own views on life, and that's something that's obviously his point of view, but that's definitely not the point of view of all the rest of us."

NBA star Bill Laimbeer avoided the question entirely: "Who is Tim Hardaway? Next question."

Memphis forward Mike Miller offered support for former teammate Amaechi: "He's a great person. Everyone has the right to be how they want be. It would be difficult [having an out player on the team], but at the same time our league is a league that has taken on anything. We bring on and accept anything, and I think that's what's special about the NBA."

Scottie Pippen: It was pretty shocking. You hate to see that happen to one of your colleagues knowing the damage he's caused to himself, his family and friends ... I'm very disappointed it happened."

Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash said: "I think, probably, there's a player or two out there who believes what he believes. That probably would be fair of every cross section of society. But in general, I think he spoke for himself. I don't think you'd catch many guys feeling that way...Maybe 10 years ago. But in our locker room [now]? I think guys are over it. Guys are like, 'I don't care what you do.' I don't know about other locker rooms. I don't know if it's peer pressure is contagious or just being in the right place in the right time to get that type of virulence. But in the Phoenix Suns' locker room, it's not like that."

Sacramento Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof said a bigoted player would not have a place on his team: "What he said was uncalled for. What he said was wrong. I'm sure he apologized for it, but the damage has been done. He should have never said that. Because we don't want to be judged by race, creed, color, sexual preference. I mean, people are people. And that's the way it should be."

In addition to having his name dropped from the car wash he co-owns in south Florida, Hardaway was taunted and flaunted on several websites over the weekend, which published YouTube footage of a naked Hardaway in the locker room. Said sports blog Deadspin: "Tim Hardaway might not enjoy gay people, but I really think it could give us all a chance to heal if gay people had a chance to enjoy Tim Hardaway."

Here are a few recent notable articles on Amaechi:
The Loneliness of the Gay Basketball Player: John Amaechi's Man in the Middle, the memoir of an NBA misfit. [slate]
Amaechi's Good Morning America appearance [newsbusters]

Gay Mayor Reaches Out to Hardaway [miami herald]
Shaq: I'd protect a gay teammate [palm beach post]
Anti-gay comments find no backing [tr]

You may have missed...
Former NBA Player Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People" [tr]
Former NBA Player John Amaechi on Outside the Lines: I'm Gay [tr]
Amaechi: Hardaway Anti-Gay Comments "Illustrate the Problem" [tr]
Tim Hardaway's Gay Hate Speech Brings Swift Reaction [tr]

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Tim Hardaway's Gay Hate Speech Brings Swift Reaction

On Wednesday night, Former Miami Heat player Tim Hardaway's astonishing flippant response to comments he made regarding gay people following John Amaechi's coming out only served to further fuel the public outrage that was building. Said Hardaway: "There are more important things to worry about than my comments. We should be more concerned about President Bush and all the people dying in Iraq."

Huh? Hardaway has since felt the pressure to issue a more contrite statement. On Thursday, he issued the following apology through his agent Henry Thomas:

"As an African American, I know all too well the negative thoughts and feelings hatred and bigotry cause. I regret and apologize for the statements that I made that have certainly caused the same kinds of feelings and reactions. I especially apologize to my fans, friends and family in Miami and Chicago. I am committed to examining my feelings and will recognize, appreciate and respect the differences among people in our society. I regret any embarrassment I have caused the league on the eve of one of their greatest annual events."

Following Hardaway's initial remarks on Wednesday ("I hate gay people. I let it be known, I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people.") the NBA canceled an "NBA legend" appearance by the former point guard at the YMCA of Southern Nevada as well as his participation in events surrounding this weekend's All Star game in Las Vegas.

Hardaway has also been dumped as spokesman for Baldguyz, a company that makes grooming products for bald men, according to the Miami Herald. Said their CEO: ''BaldGuyz, like baldness, does not discriminate based on lifestyle choice, color, education, financial resources, religion, physical capabilities or in any other way."

Meanwhile, John Amaechi continues to react to the incident with restraint and eloquence. Here are some of his recent comments to the San Francisco Chronicle:

"It's not my place to get in the way of someone's relationship with God, with their God. That is their belief. However, if what you are actually talking about is Biblical literalism, and if that's the case, then I expect people who spout vitriol about gay people to have the same ire as they regard players who have guns under their seats, who smoke marijuana, who commit adultery...

...I think that the truth of the levels of homophobia in society sometimes have to be highlighted by some kind of car crash, and that's what this is. He's stopped people from saying some of the things that I've heard, you know, "Shut up, because there's no issue. There's no need to talk about this, there's no problem. There's no homophobia.'' I find that ironic in the greatest extent in a country where in 33 states you could be fired for being gay...

...One of the most important things throughout history that we know is that the furtherance of causes for minorities has been sponsored not only by the great efforts of the minorities themselves, but also by the fact that people from outside that minority group would stand shoulder to shoulder (with them). People who stood next to black people during emancipation, during the fight for equal rights were considered very progressive and bold and brave. ... The problem we have in the gay community is that people who stand next to them are considered gay. It makes them quiet."

Hardaway very slow getting back on defense after airball [sf chronicle]
Hardaway's gay bashing brings swift rebuke [miami herald]

You may have missed...
Former NBA Star Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People" [tr]
Former NBA Player John Amaechi on Outside the Lines: I'm Gay [tr]

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Amaechi: Hardaway Anti-Gay Comments "Illustrate the Problem"

In an interview with the Associated Press Thursday, former NBA player John Amaechi spoke out about former NBA player Tim Hardaway's comments about gay people.

Said Amaechi: "I don't need Tim's comments to realize there's a problem. People said that I should just shut up and go away - now they have to rethink that."

Hardaway made the comments to a radio host Wednesday, when asked about Amaechi's recent disclosure that he is gay. Said Hardaway: "First of all I wouldn't want him on my team. Second of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself from him because I don't think that's right and I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room...Well, you know, I hate gay people. I let it be known, I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people...Yeah, I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world, or in the United States. So, yeah, I don't like it." (video)

Amaechi added: "His words pollute the atmosphere. It creates an atmosphere that allows young gays and lesbians to be harassed in school, creates an atmosphere where in 33 states you can lose your job, and where anti-gay and lesbian issues are used for political gain. It's an atmosphere that hurts all of us, not just gay people. Famously, they're saying in 2007 that homophobia is not an issue. While (Hardaway) is not a representative of the NBA or of straight men, there's no point pretending it's not an opinion that is out there."

Amaechi also spoke to Dan Le Batarad (the host of the show on which Hardaway spewed his hate) at the Miami Herald on Wednesday evening saying that Hardaway's comments open a window into what gay athletes may have to face in professional sports. Said Amaechi: "I'm actually tempted to laugh. Finally, someone who is honest. It is ridiculous, absurd, petty, bigoted and shows a lack of empathy that is gargantuan and unfathomable. But it is honest. And it illustrates the problem better than any of the fuzzy language other people have used so far.''

you may have missed...
Former NBA Star Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People" [tr]
Former NBA Player John Amaechi on Outside the Lines: I'm Gay [tr]

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Former NBA Star Tim Hardaway: "I Hate Gay People"

Reacting to former NBA player John Amaechi's recent coming out of the closet, former NBA Miami Heat player Tim Hardaway told a sports radio host today that he unequivocally hates gay people, that they shouldn't be in the world. Hardaway made the comments in an interview with Dan Le Batard of 790 the Ticket when asked about how he would deal with someone like Amaechi on his team:

"First of all I wouldn't want him on my team. Second of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself from him because I don't think that's right and I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room."

After Le Batard pointed out that the former point guard was being "flatly homophobic", Hardaway continued:

"Well, you know, I hate gay people. I let it be known, I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gay people."

"Yeah, I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world, or in the United States. So, yeah, I don't like it."

The NBA, for whom Hardaway had been making public appearances, immediately removed him from further appearances, saying: "It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours."

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Hardaway was listed Tuesday as an "NBA Legend" when the league launched its NBA FIT program at the YMCA of Southern Nevada and had been part of the NBA's Community Caravan leading up to Sunday's All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Hardaway played for the Heat from 1996 to 2001 and remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists. His NBA career began in 1989 and ended in 2003. Amaechi played in the NBA from 1995 to 2003, but never as a Hardaway teammate."

Hardaway's agent had no immediate comment.

UPDATE: Hardaway later apologized for his comments during an interview with Miami's WSVN. Said Hardaway: "Yes, I regret it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said I hate gay people or anything like that," he said. "That was my mistake."

(video) Tim Hardaway comments.

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Professional Hockey, Gays, and the "Ex-Gays" Who Hate Them

The Canadian film Breakfast with Scot (based on a 1999 novel by Michael Downing), which tells the story of a gay couple (a former Toronto Maple Leaf and the team's lawyer) who become the guardians of an eleven-year-old boy struggling to understand his sexuality, is already the target of protests from anti-gay groups, the L.A. Times reports.

The film marks the first time the NHL has approved the use of its uniforms and logos in a gay-themed film, so naturally they're the target. Leading the charge is San Diego-based Christian activist "ex-gay" James Hartline (center in photo below), who hasn't seen the film but feels confident in proclaiming that it sends the wrong message:

Without having seen the movie, Hartline called it "degrading" and condemned the NHL for "promoting homosexualization of small children." He added, "The National Hockey League is now becoming a willing partner with the fringe elements of the radicalized homosexual agenda and their ultimate goal of worldwide sexual anarchy."

His dismay is shared by Brian Rushfeldt, co-founder and executive director of the Canada Family Action Coalition. Rushfeldt said the Maple Leafs were "underwriting homosexuality" by permitting the use of their name and logo.

"This is another attempt by certain individuals to normalize homosexual behavior, and they assume that the Maple Leafs will help the cause," Rushfeldt said. "I don't think it does much for the image of the NHL amongst families who may want their children involved in hockey."

The LAT notes that "the NHL has long been insular and conservative", its ice rinks a bastion of macho ideals. The release of Breakfast with Scot in late spring or early summer in Canada, and the recent coming out of former NBA player John Amaechi will certainly cause folks to speculate on what would happen if an NHL player came out of the closet.

Conveniently enough, two current NHL players recently voiced their opinions on the topic, thanks to Amaechi's recent disclosure. Chris Chelios, who plays defense for the Detroit Red Wings, says he wouldn't care if a teammate came out:

"I don't consider it any issue at all. As far as I'm concerned, it's a non-issue. I don't care if a guy comes out and says he's not gay or he comes and says he's gay. Who cares? I don't know who made that an issue. [John Amaechi] wants to go public with it, that's fine. I don't see people coming out and saying, 'I'm not gay,' so to me, I never got that. To me, it's a non-issue. I don't understand it; why there are gay marches. Why aren't there not-gay marches?"

Henrik Zetterberg, a centre for the Red Wings, said that although a gay player might be hammered on the ice because of his sexuality, gays have as much right to play as anyone else: "I've probably played with a gay guy during some point in my career, but I didn't know about it. I think that if you are gay, you would probably keep it to yourself until you stop playing. I think in games and such, I think they would be on him a lot. Unfortunately right now, I don't think you can play when you're (openly) gay. But they have the right to play hockey, too."

Breakfast with Scot is in its final editing stages, according to the paper. The film does not yet have a U.S. distributor.

NHL breaks ice with role in gay-topic movie [la times]

You may have missed...
NHL Endorses Film about Gay Pro Hockey Player [tr]
Former NBA Player John Amaechi on Outside the Lines: I'm Gay [tr]

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Former NBA Player John Amaechi on Outside the Lines: I'm Gay

Former NBA Player John Amaechi came out of the closet officially over the weekend on Sunday's ESPN program Outside the Lines. We have the clip for you here.

The Human Rights Campaign announced yesterday that Amaechi would serve as a spokesperson for HRC's Coming Out Project, a program that helps gay men and women come out and live openly.

Amaechi's announcement has been met with reactions from coaches and players in pro basketball. Most have reacted with something of a shrug, though billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban said that a current NBA star who decides to come out would make bank.

Dallas Mavericks owner Cuban told the Fort Worth Star Telegram: "From a marketing perspective, if you're a player who happens to be gay and you want to be incredibly rich, then you should come out, because it would be the best thing that ever happened to you from a marketing and an endorsement perspective. You would be an absolute hero to more Americans than you can ever possibly be as an athlete, and that'll put money in your pocket. On the flip side, if you're the idiot who condemns somebody because they're gay, then you're going to be ostracized, you're going to be picketed and you're going to ruin whatever marketing endorsements you have...When you do something that the whole world thinks is difficult and you stand up and just be who you are and take on that difficulty factor, you're an American hero no matter what. That's what the American spirit's all about, going against the grain and standing up for who you are, even if it's not a popular position...It's got to be somebody who's strong-willed. He'll put up with some grief. But at the same time, I don't want to compare him to Jackie Robinson, but it's the analogy in a lot of ways. He becomes a role model.

And here are a few of the other reactions from around the league:

Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, whom Amaechi has accused of using anti-gay remarks in reference to him: "Oh yeah, it would have probably mattered. I don't know exactly, but I always have peoples' feelings at heart. People do what they want to do. I don't have a problem with that."

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James: "With teammates you have to be trustworthy and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy. So that's like the No. 1 thing as teammates - we all trust each other. You've heard of the in-room, locker-room code. What happens in the locker-room stays in there. It's a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor."

Orlando Magic player Grant Hill: "The fact that John has done this, maybe it will give others the comfort or confidence to come out as well, whether they are playing or retiring."

NBA Commissioner David Stern: "We have a very diverse league. The question at the NBA is always: 'Have you got game?' That's it, end of inquiry."

Philadelphia Sixers forward Shavlik Randolph: "As long as you don't bring your gayness on me, I'm fine. As far as business-wise, I'm sure I could play with him. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker room."

Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell: "It's really a difficult thing to do, knowing the nature of sports and being in that locker room, it could be tough. I think it wouldn't be a lot of guys, but there would always be one or two on a team (who wouldn't approve)."

Philadelphia 76ers center-forward Steven Hunter:  "For real? He's gay for real? Nowadays, it's proven that people can live double lives. I watch a lot of TV, so I see a lot of sick, perverted stuff about married men running around with gay guys and all types of foolishness. As long as he don't make any advances toward me, I'm fine with it. As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I'd be fine with it."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers: "I think if he would have come out, they would have got on him jokingly. ... And I actually think that when guys do come out, when that day happens, it will make it easier."

You may have missed..
Guide to the Tube: Talking Heads Discuss the Coming Out [tr]
Report: Former NBA Player John Amaechi to Announce He's Gay [tr]
John Amaechi: Man in the Middle [amazon]
(thanks alan)

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #83

JOHN AMAECHI: ESPN talking heads discuss Amaechi's coming out.

SENATE REPUBLICANS: What you get for filibustering the anti-escalation resolution.

BOY CULTURE: Trailer for the upcoming film based on the book by Matthew Rettenmund.

SNICKERS COMMERCIAL: An alternative ending.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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